Uncommon and Newly Emerging Terms

Terms that are new or not currently popular

This glossary is a continuously updating record of terms that have been and are being used in the aromantic community by at least one person. As a record, this glossary is meant to document the various concepts that are thought up when the language is not sufficient to describe people’s experiences and doesn’t encourage or discourage the use of any term.

Please keep in mind these are shortened definitions and identities can be nuanced.

Amorous / partnering

Describes an aromantic person who wishes to form a significant partnership with others. The opposite of nonamorous (not everyone finds this category of description relevant).

Appromour

Describes a relationship or partner that is not romantic. It may not quite fit the definition of a queerplatonic relationship or queerplatonic partner either. Appromour is a way to describe a relationship that may seem like a romantic relationship to oneself or outside observers but is decidedly still not romantic.

Arogender

Describes a gender which is significantly connected to one’s aromanticism. It can be any gender identity influenced by having an aromantic spectrum identity. It can be used as a standalone gender label or in conjunction with others; for example, one could be an arogender boy.

Fluitic attraction

Mixed orientation identity / Varioriented

Any combination of a sexual orientation and romantic orientation that do not “match up,” or share the same gender preference. Any person who is not heteroromantic heterosexual, homoromantic homosexual, aromantic asexual, biromantic bisexual, or panromantic pansexual, etc., has a mixed orientation identity. Also called cross-orientation sexuality.

Monogamy repulsion

A measurement of how much a person feels uncomfortable with components of monogamy (sexual, emotional, social, and activity) being displayed or directed at them.

Non-SAM aro

Describes an aromantic person who does not use the Split Attraction Model (SAM) to characterize their orientation. This term is disliked by many who fit the description as it defines them by what they are not, implies split attraction is the norm for aromantics, and the counterpart “SAM aro” is rarely used.

A recently proposed alternative to this term is Unit aro - describes an aromantic person who identifies only or primarily as aromantic, centering their aromantic identity as their preferred unit.

Post rubor

Primaro / Archaro

Describes a person who feels that their aromantic identity is more important than other identities or is their “primary” or most important identity. Can be thought of to be an experience under the non-SAM/unit aro umbrella.

Romo aro

Semi-SAM

A type of application of the Split Attraction Model (SAM). The semi-SAM is fluctuation in how one can classify their identity. For example, sometimes identifying under a SAM model feels appropriate, while at other times it does not. It can also be used if one feels a particular identity takes priority, but does not wish to disregard any other identities.

Ceaseromantic

Dependromantic / Requiromantic / Exige(n)romantic / Cruxromantic

Describes a person who only experiences romantic attraction within one’s depended(s). This term can be used to describe romantic attraction felt solely within the context of Dependent Personality Disorder.

Duraromantic

Iamvanoromantic

Describes a person who feels little to no desire to be the giver of romantic gestures but expresses interest/desire in receiving them from someone else. An iamvanoromantic person can be aromantic or alloromantic.

Idemromantic

Describes a person who does not internally experience romantic and platonic attraction differently. They distinguish between romantic and platonic based on other factors, such as age, personality compatibility, and ease of living together.

Omniaromantic / Panaromantic

Placioromantic

Describes a person who feels little to no desire to be the receiver of romantic gestures but expresses interest/desire in performing them on someone else. A placioromantic person can be aromantic or alloromantic.

Schromantic

Singuluromantic

Describes a person who only experiences one type of attraction towards people (i.e. if they experience sexual attraction towards a person, they won’t feel romantic/alterous/platonic attraction towards them).